Established a global network of Vietnamese AI experts

The decision was signed by Minister Vu Hai Quan on August 2, with the desire to “connect scientists, experts, managers, and businessmen who are Vietnamese and Vietnamese residing abroad with qualifications, experience, and reputation in research, development, application, management, product commercialization, and policy making on artificial intelligence.”

The Ministry of Science and Technology determines that the overall goal of the network is to form a community of highly qualified AI experts, capable of connecting and effectively mobilizing domestic and international knowledge to directly serve science, technology and innovation activities associated with practical problems in Vietnam. The network is also expected to link research, development, and technology application with high-quality human resource training, contributing to improving national technological capacity and promoting socio-economic development.

Another goal is to support the formation of strategic AI models, platforms and products in priority areas such as health, education, smart cities, cybersecurity and national data.

The network also sets three specific goals including: attracting and maintaining the substantive participation of a team of Vietnamese AI experts globally; Strengthen links between research facilities, businesses and international experts to form strong research groups and promote commercialization; At the same time, we mobilize a team of experts to participate in consulting on policy planning, design and implementation of key national AI programs, tasks and projects.

According to the decision, the network will operate on the principle of open, flexible and voluntary, ensuring widespread connectivity between domestic and international experts and organizations. Activities must be linked to practical problems of countries, localities and businesses, encourage application orientation, create socio-economic value, and mobilize domestic and foreign resources, promote international cooperation and public-private cooperation.

The network’s key activities include sharing knowledge and experience of AI experts with the younger generation through guidance, training and internship support; promote research and innovation, bringing research results to the market; Consulting on policy planning, product development and AI applications suitable to Vietnamese conditions.

In addition, the decision also mentions the global Vietnamese artificial intelligence forum, expected to be held annually to strengthen connections and expand the participation of AI experts.

Previously, in the proposal to establish a network in May, the Ministry of Science and Technology assessed that AI in Vietnam in recent years has had many developments, but is still limited when high-quality human resources are still scattered, and the connection between domestic organizations and the international community of experts, especially Vietnamese people abroad, is not effective. The connection between research institutes, training facilities and businesses is not tight, causing many research results to not be linked to practical needs and the possibility of commercialization is limited.

Citing international experience, the Ministry said many countries have successfully deployed the network model in AI development, such as the UK’s Alan Turing Institute, the European Union’s ELISE network or the Singapore National Research Foundation. The establishment of the network is considered an urgent requirement to create a mechanism to connect, mobilize and promote intellectual resources at home and abroad, thereby improving Vietnam’s research capacity, technology development and competitiveness in the field of AI.